Liberal Democrat MP Norman Lamb last week called for Conservative Ministers to reverse public health cuts and increase investment in anti-violent crime projects following new NHS figures revealing the number of hospital admissions caused by knife-related injuries rose by 15% last year.

In 2017-18, 4,986 people were admitted to hospital due to assault by a sharp object, compared to 4,351 people in 2016-17, according to statistics published today by NHS Digital.

The data also shows the number of people hospitalised following firearms discharge or assault by a firearm rose from 633 to 751 over the same period – an increase of 19%.

Former Liberal Democrats Health Minister Norman Lamb said:

“These figures confirm that the country is facing a disturbing surge in serious violent crime, yet the Conservative Government is doing nowhere near enough to tackle the problem.

“The scourge of knife and gun crime costs lives and rips families and communities apart, while the new data shows that it is also putting doctors and nurses under increasing strain.

“So many of the services in communities designed to prevent youth crime and offer constructive support for children and teenagers have been stripped away. We need a public health response which recognises that many of the young people who get caught up in violence have themselves experienced trauma. Punishment alone will not cure this problem.

“The Government must reverse disastrous cuts in public health budgets, as well as increasing investment in anti-violent crime projects.

“Unless Ministers get to grips with this crisis quickly, there is a real danger that thousands more people will suffer severe injury or have their lives needlessly cut short.”

Notes:

Data is from NHS Digital’s Hospital Admitted Patient Care Activity 2017-18 (‘External causes’ data file), published 20th September, can be found here.

The following Cause Code has been used to define assault with a sharp object:
X99 – Assault by sharp object

The following Cause Codes have been used to define admissions related to firearm discharge / firearm assault:
W32 – Handgun discharge
W33 – Rifle, shotgun and larger firearm discharge
W34 – Discharge from other and unspecified firearms
X93 – Assault by handgun discharge
X94 – Assault by rifle, shotgun and larger firearm discharge
X95 – Assault by other and unspecified firearm discharge